Whilst the masses trudge off to be Eltoned (Mr John and his weave are appearing here later this month), Bron and I prefer our live music to be somewhat more intimate. Appearing at a tiny courtyard about a 15 minute walk away in the middle of Saturday afternoon was an Australian lady called Kikuyu, armed … Continue reading
This week Shanghai experienced its most polluted day in about six months. Fortunately, we have the US Consulate and the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection keeping an eye on the smog for us. The US Consulate’s figures were accompanied by a health warning of “hazardous” (get indoors now; don’t breathe for a few days). The … Continue reading
Everything here is hectic; Shanghai never stops. The old folks arise at sunrise to do their morning Tai Chi before being gradually interrupted by the commuting masses. Armies of three patrol during the daytime as grandparents take their single grandchild out and about. Local restaurants fill to bursting point between 12pm and 1pm as the … Continue reading
Writing this bit on a Shinkansen train to Hiroshima, where the onboard announcements are preceded by the first 5 notes of the British national anthem, although I assume that’s a coincidence. And the staff bow each time they enter or exit the carriage (then again, the ground staff bowed to the plane when it landed). … Continue reading
Shanghai has a land mass similar to the US state of Delaware but a population size similar to that of Australia (around 24 million). It’s absolutely no surprise that quiet spots are nigh-on impossible; that attempting to walk becomes an exercise in avoidance and dodging; that national holidays cause a mass migration that any transportation … Continue reading
Advice from the British government is to avoid becoming involved with any protests, peaceful or otherwise, when abroad. So when John and I saw a large group of slowly marching, traditionally dressed people carrying placards on Saturday evening, we were naturally curious. Tension between China and Japan has been escalating all week*, with Japanese cars … Continue reading
ShanghaiSims 